Oranges and Sunshine reviews (2010)

Oranges and Sunshine

2010

Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5

from 8016 members

Directed by Jim Loach, Oranges & Sunshine tells the real-life story of Margaret Humphreys (Emily Watson), a social worker from Nottingham, who uncovered one of the most significant social scandals in recent times: the forced migration of children from the United Kingdom. Almost singlehandedly, against overwhelming odds and with little regard for her own well-being, Margaret reunited thousands of families, brought authorities to account and worldwide attention to an extraordinary miscarriage of justice. She discovered a secret that the British government had kept hidden for years: one hundred and thirty thousand children in care had been sent abroad to commonwealth countries, mainly Australia. Children as young as four had been told that their parents were dead, and been sent to children's homes on the other side of the world. Many were subjected to appalling abuse. They were promised oranges and sunshine, they got hard labour and life in institutions.

Oranges and Sunshine details

Format:	15 DVD
Starring:	Hugo Weaving, Emily Watson, David Wenham
Director:	Jim Loach
Genre:	Drama - General
Studio:	ICON HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Collections:	July - Drama

DVD 1 disc

Name	Discs
Oranges and Sunshine	15 Feature

DVD Information

Rental release:	25 Jul 2011
Main languages:	English

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LOVEFiLM Review Oranges and Sunshine

By Tom Seymour from LOVEFiLM

Jim Loach shows it runs in the family with this quiet, searing drama.
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Most helpful review Oranges and Sunshine

Could have been better

By crispin40 (553 reviews) from Stirling, Scotland , 15 Aug 2012

[Highly rated reviewer]

I think this story has been told better and I read a super children's book by Michael Morpurgo on the subject years ago. My copy stuck towards the end but I managed to fast forward it and finish it off.
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a well told story

By vickig0306 (429 reviews) from Halifax , 19 May 2013

I was quite moved by this film. I had vaguely heard about this case but was a little naïve. I am glad I watched this film & I do feel that the story was well told & well acted
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dodge this bullet!

By markgfish (1 review) , 23 Feb 2013

terrible, truly terrible. Poorly written and shot and painfully over acted. Had high hopes: Loach etc but if you're looking for a character driven, thought provoking film this IS NOT IT. shame.
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Nice n easy

By a customer , 19 Feb 2013

This film kept me gripped, but most films based on true stories do. I enjoyed the acting and the pace of the film.
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It really happened here.

By a customer , 15 Feb 2013

Jim Loach has handled this film in much the same way Margaret Humphreys handled her assignment - with dignity, professionalism and just the right amount of emotion. This film goes further than merely informing but stops short of sensationalism. With a subject such as this it would have been easy to mine that emotional seam to extremes; instead Jim Loach has left us touched, but not traumatised - and with enough information to leave us shaking our heads in astonishment that this could ever have taken place in Britain. A nicely-handled, thought-provoking film with an outstanding and believable performance from Emily Watson.
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moving and thought provoking

By a customer , 06 Feb 2013

this was such a moving film. really lifted the lid on something shameful but not so well known about. 130,000 british kids lives were torn apart and right up until 1970.
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